US drone strike kills 22 rebels S. Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD, May 30 (KUNA) — At least 22 suspected rebels belonging to Afghan Taliban group were killed in a US-led drone strike in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, Afghan officials said on Monday.Kandahar police spokesman, Zia Durrani told media that the unmanned aircraft strike was carried out in the Shah Walikot district of the province in cooperation with the Afghan forces.He said the drones targeted the rebels in their hideouts in Kata Sang locality of Shah Wali Kot district amid an ongoing clearing operation to reopen the Kandahar-Uruzgan highway.The Taliban closed the road 45 days ago by emplacing landmines after attacking security posts and capturing them, but now security forces have intensified their efforts to reopen the road, he added.Local people and security forces had so far suffered no causalities in the drone strike, claimed the spokesperson.Last night, at least six fighters belonging to so-called Islamic State were killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province.The drone attacks came at a time when US and foreign forces have intensified their air strikes across Afghanistan after Taliban announced Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada as their new chief following the death of their former chief in a drone strike. (end) sbk.mb